Mobile apparatus for laying track ties

ABSTRACT

In a mobile track renewal apparatus which includes a series of cooperating tie conveyors leading to and from the track section where ties are to be picked up and/or laid, control means is arranged in the tie conveyor path and actuatable by a tie in the path for controlling the movement of selected conveyors.

United States Plasser et a1.

atent 1 Feb. 1, 1972 [54] MOBILE APPARATUS FOR LAYING TRACK TIES [72] Inventors: Franz Plasser; Josef Theurer, both of Johannesgasse 3, 1010 Vienna, Austria [22] Filed: Oct. 7, 1969 [21] Appl.No.: 864,383

[30] Foreign Application Priority Data Oct. 18, 1968 Austria ..l0087/68 [52] US. Cl ..l04/6, 104/9, 198/21, 198/33 AB [51] Int. Cl ..EOlb 29/13, B65g 7/12 [58] Field ofSearch ..l98/33,21,82; 104/2, 4-6

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,372,130 3/1945 Smith 198/82 2,850,142 9/1958 Engleson et a1 ..198/33.2 2,888,129 5/1959 Chapman 198/82 2,986,261 5/1961 Wenstrand. ...l98/21 2,993,582 7/1961 Souser 198/21 3,258,103 6/1966 Bontempi et al. ...198/85 3,330,219 7/1967 Plasser et a1 ..l04/2 Primary Examiner-Drayton E. Hoffman Assistant ExaminerRichard A. Bertsch Attorney-Kurt Kelman [5 7] ABSTRACT In a mobile track renewal apparatus which includes a series of cooperating tie conveyors leading to and from the track section where ties are to be picked up and/or laid, control means is arranged in the tie conveyor path and actuatable by a tie in the path for controlling the movement of selected conveyors.

17 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures PATENTEB FEB 1 ELE a INVENTOR$ mvz PMSSER BY 86F THWRER MOBILE APPARATUS FOR LAYING TRACK TIES BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to improvements in mobile track renewal apparatus adapted to move in the direction of track elongation and comprising a series of sequentially arranged, cooperating moving tie conveyors leading to and from the track section to be renewed.

The present invention is particularly advantageous in connection with such an apparatus disclosed and claimed in our copending application Ser. No. 849,406, filed Aug. 12, 1969, which comprises a support frame elongated in the track elongation direction and supporting a plurality of track tie conveyors for transporting the ties to and from the working location where means is provided for taking up and laying ties. The entire conveyor system forms a structural unit whose one end is supported on a carrier vehicle which preferably runs on the track rails and may consist of a transport and storage vehicle for the ties while its overhanging forward portion is supported on running gears, such as those more fully disclosed and claimed in our copending application Ser. No. 864,384, of even date.

It is the primary object of this invention to improve the efficiency and speed of the tie transport on the conveyor system, which is accomplished by the automatic control of the conveyor movements by the ties moving thereon in such a manner as to avoid jamming of ties on the system, on the one hand, and to provide a steady supply of ties without interruption, on the other hand, thus having a smooth and continuous flow of ties along the entire conveyor system. Such a control requires careful coordination of tie sensors positioned along the tie path for the actuation of control circuits operating selected ones of the conveyors in timed sequence.

The above and other objects are accomplished in accordance with the basic principle of the invention by conveyor movement control means arranged in the conveyor path and actuatable by a tie in the path for controlling the movement of selected conveyors. Such control means are preferably constituted by elements or sensors mechanically movable by a conveyed tie in contact therewith to actuate a switch operating the respective control circuits which stop and move the various types of conveyors of the system. It will be useful to mount such control means between adjacent ones of the conveyors in the tie conveyor path so that they are automatically actuated by the moving ties.

While illustrated and described herein in connection with the laying of new ties, wherein ties are transported to the track section to be renewed, it will be obvious that a mere reversal of the transport direction will make this apparatus equally useful for picking up old ties.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWING The above and other objects, advantages and features of the present invention will become more apparent in the following detailed description of a now preferred embodiment thereof, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing wherein:

FIG. 1 is a top view of the apparatus;

FIG. 2 is a side view taken in the direction of arrow II of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a front or sectional view taken along line IIIIII of FIG. I; and

FIGS. 4 and 5 show details of certain controls, taken along lines lV-IV and V-V of FIG. 1, respectively.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION Referring now to the drawing, it should be noted that details of the tie-conveying mechanisms are more fully disclosed and claimed in our copending application Ser. No. 849,406, entitled Mobile Track Maintenance Apparatus. Since they are only indirectly related to this invention, they will be described only superficially in relation to the path of a tie 3 to be laid, the conveyor system being mounted on support frame 7.

The lower end of elongated'tie conveyor 1 is seen adjacent tie turntable 8, pairs of ties 3 being received from the conveyor and deposited on a conveyor band 8 on turntable 8, which structure is more fully described in our copending application Ser. No. 864,373, filed on even date.

As shown in FIG. 2, the endless conveyor band 8' on turntable 8 cooperates with the elongated conveyor 1 to receive the ties 3 therefrom, being pivotal about an axis transverse of the track into and out of the plane of the conveyor I (see small vertical arrow in FIG. 2), the entire turntable being below the level of the raised track rails 2 and the turntable being rotatable about a vertical pivot extending through the centerline of the track.

The conveyors 1 and 8 form a unit which rests in part on the newly laid track rails rearvvardly of the illustrated forward portion of the apparatus, not shown herein but fully described in the above-mentioned copending application Ser. No. 849,406. The forward portion of the apparatus rests on the track-free ballast, being supported thereon by a running gear including full-track 9 and wheels 9', 9, which running gear may be steered by operation of the pressure fluid operated drive 9 all of which is more fully described and claimed in our copending application Ser. No. 864,384, of even date.

The length of the endless band 8 is less than that of the ties 3, and two elongated conveyor bands l2, 12 are mounted laterally adjacent the turntable at diametrically opposite sides thereof to receive the ends of the ties after the turntable has been turned The conveyors 12, 12 extend in the direction of track elongation and their spacing is such that a transversely extending tie may be supported on these conveyors. Means is provided for vertically moving the conveyor 12, 12 into and out of the plane of the endless conveyor band 8' on turntable 8 whereby a tie may be supported selectively by the turning conveyor and the elongated conveyor 12, 12 for transferring ties between them.

The conveyors l2, 12 may be lowered to the level of another conveyor means 13, illustrated as another pair of endless conveyor bands, whereon the tie is deposited for moving the same to a pair of roller conveyors 25, 25.

To provide sufficient working space at the track section where the ties are taken up and laid, the track rails are lifted and laterally spread at this point, the old as well as the new ties being supported in guides 7 of frame 7, as best seen in FIG. 3.

The short final conveyor means 25, 25 supports a single tie at a time while the tie extends transversely to the direction of track elongation. A forklift tie support is associated with the final conveyor means, being mounted between the two roller conveyors 25, 25 for transferring individual ties between the track section, i.e., to or from the ballast, and the roller conveyors. The forklift tie support 5 is vertically adjustable and pivotal. To facilitate transfer of ties between the roller conveyors and the forklift 5, the roller conveyors are adjustable in relation to the forklift, being pivotal so as to open the path for downward movement of the forklift to enable the latter to deposit a tie on the ballast.

In accordance with the present invention, a series of conveyor movement control means are arranged in the path of ties 3 thus to program the transport of the ties rationally from conveyor 1, which receives or transfers the ties from or to a tie transport and storage car (not shown) to forklift 5 which deposits or picks up a tie on or from the ballast. This control system will now be described in the sequence of operations as a pair of ties is moved down conveyor 1 towards forklift 5, the new ties 3 being provided with rail support plates 3" to which the rails are bolted on the ties.

A mechanically movable sensor element 26, i.e., a switch, is mounted on the lower end of conveyor 1 between this end and cooperating turntable conveyor 8. The switch 26 is depressed by a tie 3 moving thereover on its way to turntable 8 and, in the depressed position, it is ready to actuate an electrical control circuit for stopping movement of the conveyor band 1. However, actuation of the circuit in the ready-position of switch 26 will be effectuated only in response to the actuation of subsequent control means in the path of the ties, to be described hereinafter. At such time, the circuit will be actu ated to stop further movement of conveyor band 1 and thus to preventjamming of ties.

Stops 27, 27 are associated with turntable 8 in direct alignment with elongated conveyor 1 in the path of the ties moving therefrom to and over endless conveyor band 8', the stops being so spaced from the turntable that the ties 3 will contact the stops when the centers of the ties are in alignment with the pivot center of the turntable, i.e., when the ties are symmetrically supported on the endless conveyor band 8', with the tie ends extending equally from both ends of these conveyor bands, as shown in FIG. 1. Contact of the ties with the stops operates switches at the stops for actuating a control circuit operating the rotational movement of turntable 8 as well as simultaneous pivoting of the turntable from the illustrated oblique position in alignment with conveyor 1 to a horizontal position parallel to succeeding conveyor 12, 12. After a 90 turn of the turntable, the protruding ends of the now transversely positioned ties are in vertical alignment with the pair of conveyor bands 12, 12, which bands run parallel to the direction of track elongation and are positioned at diametrically opposite sides of the turntable.

in the transverse position of the ties on the turntable 8, one of the ties contacts switch 28 which actuates control circuits which stop further rotation of the turntable, cause the conveyor 12, 12 to be raised to the level of ties 3 so that the ties will rest on this conveyor pair and, if the conveyor bands of this conveyor pair are not continuously moved, the switch 28 actuates an additional circuit causing movement of the bands so that the ties begin to be moved off the turntable in the direction of track elongation in a position transverse to the track. The vertical movement of the conveyor l2, 12 is timed by its control circuit so that, after it reaches its highest level to receive the ties from the turntable 8, it automatically is lowered again to the level of succeeding conveyor means 13, 13. Thus, at the end of conveyor 12, 12, the ties are transferred to the overlapping coplanar short conveyor bands 13, 13 which move them on.

Centered between the conveyor bands 13, 13 which are arranged parallel to, and between the conveyor bands 12, 12 is a depressable sensor element 29. When a tie moves thereover, it depresses the element 29 which is a switch actuating a control circuit causing the turntable 8 to rotate back to its original position, wherein the endless bands 8' is in alignment with elongated conveyor 1, and to pivot the turntable into its oblique position in coplanar alignment with conveyor 1. If desired, this switch 29 may also actuate the control circuit operating movement of conveyor 12, 12 so as to stop movement of the endless bands thereof.

The short conveyor bands 13, 13 transport the ties to the pair of roller conveyors 25, which advance the ties to pivotal stop 30 which, as shown in FIG. 5, is pivoted forwardly by the tie contacting the same. The sensor 30 is spaced from the end of conveyor means 13, 13 by approximately the width of a tie and, upon being pivoted by an arriving tie contacting the sensor, it actuates a switch operating a control circuit for stopping movement of the conveyor means 13, 13 so that only a single tie is positioned on roller conveyors 25, 25 at any one time.

As the tie is advanced further on the roller conveyors, it finally contacts the adjustable stops 31. The stops 31 are aligned transversely of the track in the path of the tie, and their position may be adjusted in the direction of track elongation, i.e., they may be transversely aligned so that they define a line perpendicular to the track elongation, which is the desired end position of the tie in a straight track section, or so as to define a line enclosing an acute angle with the perpendicular,

'which angle is adjusted to the desired end position of the tie in a track curve. in this manner, the stops 31 constitute a sensor establishing the desired end position of the tie on the ballast.

Furthermore, a switch 32 is mounted at the same location to be actuated by a sensing element 32' which senses the recess in the rail support plate 3" on tie 3, thus to establish the desired final position of the tie in lateral relation to the centerline of the track.

As shown in FIG. 4, when the tie has been properly located in relation to the track by stops 31, 31 and sensing element 32', the latter actuates switch 32 to operate a control circuit pivoting the roller conveyors 25, 25 downwardly (see broken lines in FIG. 4) into contact with stop 33. This removes the support of the roller conveyors from the tie and leaves it rest on forklift support 5 mounted between the pair of roller conveyors. The forklift 5 is pivotally linked to a pressure fluid operated cylinder 5 for vertical movement and, upon contact of the downwardly pivoting roller conveyors with stop 33, a switch is actuated to operate a control circuit moving the drive 5" and thus to' lower the forklift to the ballast where the tie is deposited. The switch 32 simultaneously actuates a control circuit for returning the stop 30 to its original position about a width removed from the ends of conveyors 13, 13. Pivotal movement of the forklift just above the ballast bed deposits the tie softly on the ballast.

The vertical movement of the forklift is timed to be automatically reversed after it has reached its lowest point and the pivotal movement of the roller conveyors is timed to return .the roller conveyors to their original horizontal position after they have contacted stop 33. The return of stop 30 into its original position causes the movement of conveyor bands 13, 13 to be resumed so that the second tie thereon is advanced to the roller conveyors, to repeat the above-described cycle of movements of the roller conveyors and forklift. Meanwhile, the conveyors 12 have moved a succeeding pair of ties to the conveyors 13 to continue an uninterrupted supply of ties to the track section while the apparatus advances therealong continuously to lay tie after tie.

To avoid jamming of ties either at the end station or on conveyors 12 and 13, the switches at sensors 29 and/or 30 and switch 26 are so connected in the control circuit which operates the movement of elongated conveyor 1 that switch 26, when depressed by a tie moving over it, will operate the circuit to stop further movement of conveyor 1 when the switches at sensor 29 and/or 30 is also actuated, i.e., if a tie rests on roller conveyors 25, 2S and a tie moves on conveyors 13, 13 over the sensor 29. in this case, the conveyor 1 is halted and further supply of ties is momentarily interrupted.

We claim:

1. In combination with a mobile track renewal apparatus adapted to move in the direction of track elongation, a track tie conveying means comprising a series of sequentially ar ranged, cooperating driven tie conveyors leading to and from a track section to be renewed in a tie conveyor path extending in the direction of track elongation, and tie conveyor movement control elements arranged between two adjacent ones of the conveyors and mechanically movable by a conveyed tie in contact therewith for driving selected ones of the tie conveyors, one of said tie conveyors being a moving conveyor elongated in said direction for transporting said ties extending in said direction, and another one of said conveyors is a cooperating adjacent conveyor movable around a vertical pivot for receiving the ties from the elongated conveyor and turning them into a direction transverse to the direction of track elongation, said control means including a control element arranged between the one and the other conveyor and being actuatable by a tie in contact therewith to stop the movement of the elongated conveyor.

2. In the mobile apparatus of claim 1, said mechanically movable element being a switch.

3. In the mobile apparatus of claim 1, wherein said turning conveyor is pivotally adjustable into alignment with the elongated conveyor.

4. In the mobile apparatus of claim 1, wherein the turning conveyor comprises an elongated endless conveyor band for supporting the tie while the conveyor is turned, the length of the conveyor band being less than the length of the ties, a third one of said conveyors being less than the length a pair of elongated conveyor bands arranged at diametrically opposite sides of the turning conveyor and extending in the direction of track elongation, the spacing between the elongated conveyor bands of the third conveyor being such that a transversely extending tie may be supported on said third conveyor, and means for vertically moving the third conveyor into and out of the plane of the endless conveyor band on the turning conveyor whereby a tie may be supported selectively by said turning conveyor and the third conveyor for transferring the tie between the turning and the third conveyor.

5. In the mobile apparatus of claim 4, said control means including sensors associated with the turning conveyor and actuatable by contact with a tie on the turning conveyor for initiating turning of the conveyor and for stopping turning after the conveyor has turned 90".

6. In the mobile apparatus of claim 5, the sensor for stopping turning of the conveyor being capable of simultaneously actuating movement of the third conveyor.

7. In the mobile apparatus of claim 4, a fourth one of said conveyors being a conveyor means overlapping the third conveyor and being arranged parallel thereto between the pair of elongated conveyor bands thereof whereby a tie may be transferred between the third and fourth conveyor, and said control means including a sensor actuatable by contact with a tie on the fourth conveyor.

8. In the mobile apparatus of claim 7, the last-named sensor stopping the movement of the third conveyor upon said contact and returning the turning conveyor to its original position with the elongated endless conveyor bands thereof in alignment with the one elongated conveyor.

9. In combination with a mobile track renewal apparatus adapted to move in the direction of track elongation, a track tie conveying means comprising a series of sequentially arranged, cooperating driven tie conveyors leading to and from a track section to be renewed in a tie conveyor path extending in the direction of track elongation, the tie-conveying means including a short final conveyor means at said track section for supporting a single one of the ties extending transversely to the direction of track elongation, and a forklift tie support associated with the final conveyor means for transferring individual ones of the ties between the track section and the means arranged in the conveyor path and actuatable by a tie conveyed in the path for driving selected ones of the tie conveyors.

10. In the mobile apparatus of claim 9, said forklift tie support being vertically adjustable and pivotal.

11. In the mobile apparatus of claim 9, said final conveyor means comprising a pair of roller conveyors, the forklift tie support being mounted between the roller conveyors.

12. In the mobile apparatus of claim 9, said control means including a sensor arranged to be contacted by said single tie supported on the final conveyor means in an end position of the tie on the conveyor means, contact of the tie with said sensor causing stoppage of an immediately preceding one of said cooperating conveyors.

13. In the mobile apparatus of claim 9, said control means including a sensor arranged to be contacted by said single tie supported on the final conveyor means, contact of the tie with said sensor causing operation of the forklift tie support for transferring the tie from a final conveyor means to the forklift tie support.

14. In the mobile apparatus of claim 13, said sensor including a sensing element sensing the transverse position of the tie on the' final conveyor means, the sensor being responsive to the sensing element to assure operation thereof only when the tie is in accurate transverse position.

15. In the mobile apparatus of claim 9, the final conveyor means being vertically adjustable in relation to the forklift tie support for facilitating transfer of ties between therebetween.

16. In the mobile apparatus of claim 9, said control means including a sensor at an end position of the adjustable final conveyor means, said sensor being responsive to contact with said conveyor means in said end position for operating the forklift tie support.

17. In the mobile apparatus of claim 1, said control means including a plurality of sensors between successive ones of the cooperating conveyors, a subsequent one of the sensors, in the tie transport direction, actuating a preceding one of the sensors for selectively stopping the movement of a preceding conveyor to avoid jamming of ties in the conveyor path.

in .l 

1. In combination with a mobile track renewal apparatus adapted to move in the direction of track elongation, a track tie conveying means comprising a series of sequentially arranged, cooperating driven tie conveyors leading to and from a track section to be renewed in a tie conveyor path extending in the direction of track elongation, and tie conveyor movement control elements arranged between two adjacent ones of the conveyors and mechanically movable by a conveyed tie in contact therewith for driving selected ones of the tie conveyors, one of said tie conveyors being a moving conveyor elongated in said direction for transporting said ties extending in said direction, and another one of said conveyors is a cooperating adjacent conveyor movable around a vertical pivot for receiving the ties from the elongated conveyor and turning them 90* into a direction transverse to the direction of track elongation, said control means including a control element arranged between the one and the other conveyor and being actuatable by a tie in contact therewith to stop the movement of the elongated conveyor.
 2. In the mobile apparatus of claim 1, said mechanically movable element being a switch.
 3. In the mobile apparatus of claim 1, wherein said turning conveyor is pivotally adjustable into alignment with the elongated conveyor.
 4. In the mobile apparatus of claim 1, wherein the turning conveyor comprises an elongated endless conveyor band for supporting the tie while the conveyor is turned, the length of the conveyor band being less than the length of the ties, a third one of said conveyors being less than the length a pair of elongated conveyor bands arranged at diametrically opposite sides of the turning conveyor and extending in the direction of track elongation, the spacing between the elongated conveyor bands of the third conveyor being such that a transversely extending tie may be supported on said third conveyor, and means for vertically moving the third conveyor into and out of the plane of the endless conveyor band on the turning conveyor whereby a tie may be supported selectively by said turning conveyor and the third conveyor for transferring the tie between the turning and the third conveyor.
 5. In the mobile apparatus of claim 4, said control means including sensors associated with the turning conveyor and actuatable by contact with a tie on the turning conveyor for initiating turning of the conveyor and for stopping turning after the conveyor has turned 90*.
 6. In the mobile apparatus of claim 5, the sensor for stopping turning of the conveyor being capable of simultaneously actuating movement of the third conveyor.
 7. In the mobile apparatus of claim 4, a fourth one of said conveyors being a conveyor means overlapping the third conveyor and being arranged parallel thereto between the pair of elongated conveyor bands thereof whereby a tie may be transferred between the third and fourth conveyor, and said control means including a sensor actuatable by contact with a tie on the fourth conveyor.
 8. In the mobile apparatus of claim 7, the last-named sensor stopping the movement of the third conveyor upon said contact and returning the turning conveyor to its original position with the elongated endless conveyor bands thereof in alignment with the one elongated conveyor.
 9. In combination with a mobile track renewal apparatus adapted to move in the direction of track elongation, a track tie conveying means comprising a series of sequentially arranged, cooperating driven tie conveyors leading to and from a track section to be renewed in a tie conveyor path extending in the direction of track elongation, the tie-conveying means including a short final conveyor means at said track section for supporting a single one of the ties extending transversely to the Direction of track elongation, and a forklift tie support associated with the final conveyor means for transferring individual ones of the ties between the track section and the final conveyor means, and tie conveyor movement control means arranged in the conveyor path and actuatable by a tie conveyed in the path for driving selected ones of the tie conveyors.
 10. In the mobile apparatus of claim 9, said forklift tie support being vertically adjustable and pivotal.
 11. In the mobile apparatus of claim 9, said final conveyor means comprising a pair of roller conveyors, the forklift tie support being mounted between the roller conveyors.
 12. In the mobile apparatus of claim 9, said control means including a sensor arranged to be contacted by said single tie supported on the final conveyor means in an end position of the tie on the conveyor means, contact of the tie with said sensor causing stoppage of an immediately preceding one of said cooperating conveyors.
 13. In the mobile apparatus of claim 9, said control means including a sensor arranged to be contacted by said single tie supported on the final conveyor means, contact of the tie with said sensor causing operation of the forklift tie support for transferring the tie from a final conveyor means to the forklift tie support.
 14. In the mobile apparatus of claim 13, said sensor including a sensing element sensing the transverse position of the tie on the final conveyor means, the sensor being responsive to the sensing element to assure operation thereof only when the tie is in accurate transverse position.
 15. In the mobile apparatus of claim 9, the final conveyor means being vertically adjustable in relation to the forklift tie support for facilitating transfer of ties between therebetween.
 16. In the mobile apparatus of claim 9, said control means including a sensor at an end position of the adjustable final conveyor means, said sensor being responsive to contact with said conveyor means in said end position for operating the forklift tie support.
 17. In the mobile apparatus of claim 1, said control means including a plurality of sensors between successive ones of the cooperating conveyors, a subsequent one of the sensors, in the tie transport direction, actuating a preceding one of the sensors for selectively stopping the movement of a preceding conveyor to avoid jamming of ties in the conveyor path. 